Fluid medium dispensing apparatus



Feb. 12, 1946. w. H. FREYGANG FLUID MEDIUM DISPENSING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 -lNVENT0R rffganj ATTORNEY Feb. 12,1946. w, H. FREYGANG 7 22,721

FLUID MEDIUM DISPENSING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 29, 1939 2 SheetsSheet 2 I NVENTOR I \l V 8;- H iiiiiii Yy 6 ATTORNEY Reissuecl Feb. 12, 1946 FLUID MEDIUM DISPENSING APPARATUS Walter H. Freygang, Essex Fells, N. J assignor to Specialties Development Corporation, Bloomfield, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Original No. 2,291,617, dated August 4, 1942, Serial No. 311,579, December 29, 1939. Application for reissue May 24, 1945, Serial No.

11 Claims.

This invention relates to portable fluid dispensing containers, and more particularly to containers adaptedto be made a part of a fixed fluid distributing system without impairing their utility as portable sources of fluid medium.

This type of apparatus is useful in the fire extinguishing art, particularl in the case of small range fire extinguishing systems as used for example, on aircraft and motor vehicles. Ordinarily, a permanently located fire extinguishing conduit is provided which has suitable outlet nozzles in the vicinity of the hazard to be covered. A portable fire extinguisher is removably mounted at a place easily accessible to the operator and is conveniently connected to the distribution conduit so as to be easily disconnected from the conduit and to be used by the operator to direct the discharge of a fire extinguishing medium therefrom to any desired location.

This does not present any special problem in connection with fire extinguishers other than those employing liquid carbon dioxide. The latter fluid, it has been found, does not attain its maximum extinguishing efficiency unless discharged through so-called directional discharge shields or horns, disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,760,274, which have been adopted quite generally in connection with carbon dioxide fire extinguishers. In applying portable carbon dioxide fire extinguishers to fixed conduits as described above, the requirements for the horn interferes with the ease of disconnecting and using the extinguisher with the horn as a portable extinguisher.

An object of this invention is to provide a portable fire extinguisher which when connected to a fixed distribution conduit is an immediately available source of fluid medium therefor, and

is also adapted to be quickly disconnected andto be instantly used as a portable extinguisher, notwithstanding the requirement for a horn.

A further object is to provide a connection between a. portable fire extinguisher and a distribution conduit which will permit the passage of fluid medium from the container into the conduit when the container is connected thereto, and into a discharge horn, permanently secured to the container, only when the container is disconnected from the conduit.

These and other objects will become apparent as the invention is described in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein the invention is shown applied to an aircraft. This merely serves as an illustrative example, and the invention is not to be limited thereto.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of an airplane, to which is applied a fire extinguishing system in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view, partially in section, of a portable fire extinguisher connected to an installed distribution conduit.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, with the extinguisher shown disconnected from the conduit. 4

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the fire extinguisher shown in Figure 2, illustrating the general organization of the fire extinguisher.

Referring now to Figure 1, an airplane I is shown which is provided with a fire extinguishing system, wherein 2 indicates suitably perforate tubing surrounding the motor. A fluid medium supply conduit 3 leads from a portable high pressure fluid medium supply container 4, which may be conveniently and removably placed in the cockpit of the plane. The container 4, is controlled by a manually operable valve 5 and is connected to the conduit 3 by means of a discharge control member 6 and a wing nut 1. The other side of the member 6 is connected to a discharge horn B.

In Figure 2, an enlarged view is shown of the container 4 and the manner in which it is connected to the conduit 3. The discharge control member 6, which is of a T-form, is screwed onto the outlet end of the valve 5, and is held in place thereon by a set screw 9. A passage [0 in the member 6 leads from the outlet of the valve 5 into'a chamber ll formed in the member 6. A piston-like valve member 14 is reciprocably movable in the chamber and is formed on each side with oppositely positioned annular valve seats i5 and I6, which are adapted to seat on valve sealing washers l2 and I3, shown here as forming the top and bottom of the chamber II. A hollow tubular member IT projects from the valve member I4 through a bushing It to the outside of the member 6 to operatively engage with a flared end 3| of conduit 3. The bushing I8 is threadedly secured onto one end of the member 6 and at its inner end abuts the valve sealing washer l3. The wing nut 1 swivels over the flared end 3 l' of the conduit 3 and may be screwed onto one end of the member 6 to cause the piston-like valve member [4 to be forced toward the sealing washer [2 in opposition to a spring [9, which is located in a recess 32 of the member 5. In this position, suitable apertures 20 in the tubular member I! coincide with the passage l0, thereby forming an unobstructed passageway for the fiuid medium flowing from the container 4 into the discharge conduit 3, as indicated by the arrow; i

Figure 3 shows thewing nut I and the conduit 3 disconnected from the discharge control member 6. The spring I9 is here shown forcing the piston-like valve I4 from thewasher I 2 toward the washer l3.' The passageway previously established through the tubular member l1 toward the conduit 3 is now sealed ofi;.-while a passage"- way is established from the container :4 and the valve 5 via the passage I0, the central opening in the sealing washer I2, an orifice 2|,=andia passage 22 in a nipple 23 leading toward'a'lid connected to the discharge horn 8.

The nipple 23 preferably is a rigid piece of tubing and, in order to permit its manipulation by the operator, is secured to the outlet end of the member 3, by means of a swivel joint. The swivel joint comprises a cap 24; a ring fi'i'nd member 25;. a packing 26, which is slippedlover theend of nipple-13; and a second ring-formed member 21 threaded onto the free end of the nipple 23. A look nut '28 is placed over a sleeve-like outlet 33 of the member 6, whereupon the cap 24, u qnbe ng screwed inv plac'e forces the mambei's 25 and 21 togetheragainst the-packing. This arrangement on 'theieriel, of the nipple 23 forms a sealed -bearing mine outlet 33, and permits the nipple to rotate in the socket thus formed; The nipple itself is seated against-fa gaskett29, which has-also the function -offproviding a ffiction surface in the socket, so that the nipplenan d' horn will stay in the position rto whichtheyhave been rotated. 1 inFigure 4, which isa'n elevational view of the portable fire dle33ls'ecuredto the valve 5; for greater convenience in handling the extinguisher when used as a portable unit.

The operation :of the apparatusQdescribedfis self-evident fron its construction. The appara-- the, as shown in Figure-2 upon manipulation'of valve 5,-wi11 operate as-a fixedexti nguishing sys tern, no discharge being possible through horn 8, at that time. Should a fire occur at ailace on the airplane not coveredby the 'fiuid medium diSt ribut'ing'tubing-Z, thejoperato'r by merely loosening the wing nut I and-lifting the container lifromfits support in the cockpit, is able; upon opening ofthe valve 5, to direct the discharge of the fluid mediumto any desired place-hymeans oilthe swiveled discharge ham 8. 'As; already ap 'parent from the construction described above,

disconncting'of the container from theffixed conduit 3 causes the piston like valve member l4et'o' b'e forced from its washer I2 to establish con'im unication from the container 4' toward. the horn 8, and causes the valve member to be forced ag'ainst'its washer l3 to cut off communication toward the outlet l1 ofthemember 6 and the fixed conduit 3. "When. the portable fire extine guis'he'r is to be made apart of the fixed discharge;

system, thecoimectiveeoupling of the container 4 throughfthe' member G 'to the conduit'3, by turning-home the wing nut 'l over the freeend of the member 6, causes the flared end 3| of thecond'uit to operatiyelyengage the tubularimember I I pro ecting'out'of the free end of: the memberrfi and force the valve member away fromit's washer Band-toward its washer against the force of the spring l9, thereby establishing communiextinguisher 4,-the1fe is-showna hancation between the container 4 and the fixed conduit 3 through the hollow tubular member IT. The system i new again in readiness for covering any fires within reach of the installed tubing 2.

,It will-be seen from/the above description of invention that I haveproiiidd a convenient apparatus which almost instantaneously is altergnatively usable either as a portable or fixed fire extinguishing system without impairment of the full advantages and improvements that have been incorporated and that are necessary for the operation of the apparatu in either of the alternatives.

While 1 have shown the invention applied to covera spec'ific hazard and in a specific form, I do not limitmyselffthereto, except as claimed in and -providing two discharge outlets therefor,

valve meansoontrolling said outlets associated.

with said outlet means, valve actuating me ns associated with said valve means .for normall closing "one of the outlets, and means to couple said conduit to the normally ciose'd outlet arid therebyto open the normally eiosed'outietlazid" to closethenormally'ooenoutlet.

2 'Ir'ia fire extinguishing" appar "uatiiecombt nation or a fixed distribution coil Hit, a portable are extinguishing 'medllim'co'ii'tairieff, two-way:

outlet means operativeiy connected to the contalnerand providing two'c'nscharg'e outlets therefor, a double seating valve in said outlet means, spring" means associated'with said valve normally urging it to close one of said outlets, fi iiid medium discharge directing means secured to the normally open'outl'et; and'means to couple said conduit to thenoriii'ally closed outlet and to open the nor;- mally'closed outlet and to close the normally open outlet. l v v Foriis'e witn'a. co'nduitlhavingv conduit ceupiling means, the combination :of a portable fire extinguishing medium container,'two way-oirtlet mean's oberatively connected to the container and providing two discharge outlets I therefonaone of which is adapted for. connective coupling to the a conduit, valve means in said-outlet means adapted to 'cdrit'roli'saidoutlets and actuating means-for said valve means for normally elosing said outlet adapted for connective coupling and for opening the outlet which is the other outlet saidi valve means g; o r bl uPQt-r pmicatic of the cond'iiitcoupling means to normally closed close the normally openoutlet.

outlet; to open the normally -closed outlet- -an l= to l use v aeo d her n p uii w -L pling means, a 'portable fireextinguishing appav ratusgcomprisifig in combination a container relea's'abl'y confining a fireextinguishingimedium, mower- 0mm area S operafii'vely connected to TWO discharge. out; lets theie'i ryone' or which isadapted' for tive coupling to the conduit, fluid nieu charge -dii-eccing meanssecured Oth'r "of said outlets, double" seating valve means in" said outlet means, springmeans associated with'sai'd valve means normal-1y saia vaive means toclosezsaio firs'teand opensaiJ -secon named outlet; 'SHLi'd valve means HpG'fiith' flppmldti h' the conduit'coupling' means -to said aria named outlet, being actuatedag'ainstsaid spring to open the first outlet and to close the second named outlet.

5. For use with a conduit having connective coupling means and a portable fire extinguishing apparatus, a double outlet coupling comprising a body having an inlet and two outlets, a double seating valve in said body adapted to control the communication from said inlet to said outlets, a spring in said body normally urging said valve to close one of the outlets, said valve, upon the application of the coupling means, being actuated against said spring to open the normally closed outlet and to close the other outlet.

6. The combination of a fluid medium distribution conduit, a portable container releasably confining a fluid medium, fluid medium discharge controlling means secured to said container providing two outlets therefor, one of which is adapted for connective coupling, said controlling means including valve means, valve actuating means associated with said valve means for normally closing said last named outlet and for opening the other outlet, and coupling means ori said conduit adapted to couple said conduit to said normally closed outlet and to open said normally closed outlet and to close said normally open outlet.

'7. A fluid medium flow controlling means comprising in combination a body member having an inlet and two outlets, a double seating valve member reciprocally movable in said body constructed and arranged to control said outlets and spring means in said body membe adjacent said valve member normally urging it into closing position with respect to one of said outlets, said one outlet constituting a projecting substantially tubular portion on one side of said valve member to be engaged to actuate said valve member against said spring by means adapted to be coupled to said body member, said portion having openings for establishing communication between said inlet and said normally closed outlet.

8. For use with a conduit having coupling means, the combination of a container for a fluid medium, two-'way-outlet means operatively connected to said container providing two discharge outlets therefor, a reciprocally movable double 7 seating valve device associated with said outlet -means and, actuating means for causing said adapted to be actuated, upon connection of the coupling means to said normally closed outlet, to open said normally closed outletand close said other outlet.

9. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination of a conduit, a portable container releasably confining a fire extinguishing medium, two-way-outlet means operatively connected to said containe and providing two discharge outlets therefor, means for removably coupling said conduit to one of said outlets, a discharge horn operatively connected with said other outlet, valve means adapted for alternately opening one of said outlets and closing said other outlet, and means for positioning said valve means to open said other outlet and to close said one outlet.

10. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination of a conduit, a portable container confining a fire extinguishing medium, a valve for controlling the release of the medium from said container, said valve having a discharge passage, two-way-outlet means operatively connected to said discharge passage and providing two discharge outlets therefor, means for removably coupling said conduit to one of said outlets, a discharge horn operatively connected with said other outlet, valve means adapted for alternately opening one of said outlets and closing said other outlet, and means for positioning said valve means to open said other outlet and to close said one outlet.

11. In a fire extinguishing apparatus, the combination of a conduit, a portable container releasably confining a fire extinguishing medium, two-way-outlet means operatively connected to said container and providing two discharge outlets therefor, coupling means for removably coupling said conduit to one of said outlets, a discharge horn member operatively connected with said other outlet and mounted for rotation with respect to said outlet means, valve means for alternately opening one of said outlets and closing said other outlet, said valve means being operable upon connection of said coupling means to open said one outlet and close said other outlet, and means for operating said valve means to close said one outlet and open said other outlet.

WALTER H. FREYGAN G. 

